Refrigerating apparatus



()Ct. 27, 193.1. J; K 1,829,410

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 30, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Get. 27,1931. J. G. KING REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 30. 1927 2Sheets-Sheet 2 \lli/l/ @c't. 2?, M331 entree ZFESSE G. KING, OF DAYTON,OHIO,,ASSIGNOR, BY IEESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO FEIGIDAIRE CORPORATION, ACGEPORATION OF DELAWARE REFRIGEBATING A'PEARAT'US Application filedNovember 80, 1927.

Thisinvention relates to improvements in refrigerating apparatus andmore particularly the refrigerating means used for the production ofcold in mechanically refrigerated cabinets. v

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a relativelylong compact and narrow evaporator of the flooded type which, althoughutilizing only a small quantity of refrigerant, provides relatively longhorizontally disposed and large heat absorbing section. In carryingout'this object I provide an elongated finned section forming thegreater part of the length of the evaporator and the greater part of themetallic heat abso'rbing surface of the evaporator and 1 cool this longlarge finnedsection by long slender and horizontally disposedrefrigerant conveying tubes.

Another of the objects of the present invention is to provide animproved refrigerating means particularly suitable for use inmechanically refrigerated display counters or the like whichrefrigerating means is constructed and arranged so as to provide aportion or portions for maintaining a certain temperature for generalrefrigeration within the display counter-and another portion or portionsfor insuring a relatively colder temperature for maintaining anotherpart of the cabinet at a relatively colder temperature. This inventioncontemplates the use of the refrigerating means in which the relativelycold part thereof is disposed substantially intermediate the end wallsof the display counter whereby such intermediate portions may bemaintained at a relatively lower temperature than the end parts of thecabinet.

Another object of the present invention is to providea relativelycompact long and narrow refrigerating element particularly adaptable todisplay counters and the like having adequate refrigerating surface andwhich will notobstruct vision. One manner of carrying this out is toprovide duct loops for circulat- Serial No. 236,720.

ing refrigerant in which the loops are so arranged that thebends thereinare reduced to a minimum and to which loops fins are attached, whichfins extend a substantial distance beyond the end of the loops therebyincreasing the refrigerating surface of said loops.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearlyshown.

- In the drawings:

Fig. 1 represents atop view of the improved refrigerating element of theinvention in broken separated arrangement;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 shows a complete side view similar to Fig. 2 but showing therefrigerating element as a complete unit;

Fig. 4 illustrates a type of display counter showing the improvedrefrigerating element of the invention in operative position therein;and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the same.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the improved refrigerating elementcomprises a header 10 shown complete in Fig. 3 but in fragmentarysection in Figs. 1 and 2 which serves as a container for a refrigeratingmedium, for example liquid sulphur dioxide. This header'serves todistribute the refrigerant to pipes or ducts hereinafter described. Therefrigerating medium is led into the header by means of a pipe 11 and isconducted away therefrom above the liquid level by means of a pipe 12, asuitable float valve diagrammatically represented by 9 in Fig. 3 beingused to control the flow of refrigerant to the header and maintain aconstant level of tile liquid in the latter.

A series of cooling coils or refrigerant circulating ducts formed of aplurality 'of pipes frigerating' element during handling.

or tubes are connected to the header in' parallel circuit relation asshown in the drawings in Fig. 3; These ducts extend outwardly into theair cooled] by the refrigerating element. In the preferred embodiment ofthe invention these ducts are constructed to form loops of pipes whichare arranged substantially as follows: Each loop has a longsubstantially horizontal leg or tube 13 extending longitudinallyoutwardly from one end of the header which is bent around at its remoteend'14 and which continues on back to the header as pipe or duct 15entering the header at a point on its side 16, said point of entrybeingsubstantially adjacent the end of the header to which the inlet andoutlet refrigerant pipes are attached, the particular side wall beinghereinafter referred to as a lateral wall of the header. In thepreferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, threeloops ofthis character are shown although of course a greater or lessernumber may be used as desired. As shown in Fig. 1 these loops where theyenter the lateral side wall of the header have their terminal endsradiating outwardly. This arrangement prevents the bridging of frostacross the loops and fins and a consequent impeding or obstruction ofthe air circulating through the system since the fins as arranged arespaced at such a distance that during normal operation frost will notbridge across.

A long fin 20 composed of a good heat conducting material such as copperis attached to the duct s stem as by soldering so as to insure good termal contact with the duct, and this fin 20 as shown in Fig. 3, extendssubstantially beyond the horizontal limit of the duct system itself.

The fins are preferably connected or held together by means of tie bars21 or similar means, so as to prevent damage to'the re- In order tosecure a pro er flow of refrigerant the ducts should pre erably slantsomewhat with respect to the longitudinal axis of the fins as shown inFig. 3 where the pipe or duct 13 slopes from the top of the fin wallnearest the header to the bottom of the fin wall most remote from thesame.

This feature is also shown in Fig. 3 by the dotted lines of the ducts,the len h of the ducts themselves precluding the s owing of a connectedview. In practice, if the ducts were connected to the Wall of the headerso as to constitute a perfectly. horizontal prolongation thereof,refrigerant may become trapped in the looped end if the duct is tiltedupwardly when the element is installed in a cabinet. Hence if theextremity of the loop system is disposed above the liquid level in, theheader the refrigerating efliciency of the element may decrease.

By inclining the duct this difiiculty is obviated since even if theelement is not positioned horizontally, the ducts will possesssufiicient tilt of their own. Inclining the ducts moreover provides forthe natural upward flow of the gaseous refrigerant and facilitates thereturn of bubbles to the header.

By this arrangement a long horizontal finned section provides the mainheat ab sorbing surface of theevaporator and the long horizontal runs ortubes, although they contain only a small quantity of refrigerant,provide the major heat transfer section of the evaporator which is incontact with the refrigerant. Thus I have provided a long horizontalevaporator 'of the flooded type which utilizes only a small quantity ofrefrigerant and insures eflicient refrigeration in Figs. 4 and 5 thecase comprises .a structure adapted for cooling foodstuffs whilemaintaining the same on display. The case itself may consist of anelongated cabinet having a substantially rectangular ground plan.The-bottom is indicated by 30 and the front side wall which may slantand which faces the customers is represented by the numeral 32. Thelatter may be equipped in the well-known manner with air insulatedspaced glass panels, While doors 35 and 36 similarly glazed may beprovided in the rear of the counter to permit access to the interior. Atop 31 and lower rear side wall 33 as well as the portion of the rearwall above the rear doors, together with the floor of the foodcompartment 46 are thoroughly heat insulated as by corkboard or the like38. An impervious lining 37 is provided in the interior of the foodcompartment 46. If desired, the

display counter may be divided into a plurality of compartments, as forexample 46, 45, or more. In the preferred embodiment of the invention 46designates the food display compartment or chilling chamber and 4.5 thestorage compartment in which the compressor and motor may be located.

The improved refrigerating element'of the invention is mounted in thefood display comartment in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4. n thepreferred embodiment shown, two of such elements are shown mounted withtheir header members placed substantially end to end in the center ofthe counter and the longitudin ally extending ducts pointing towards theends of the case or counter. By thus 10- eating the header meansintermediate the ducts it is possible to produce a relatively colderzone in the portion of the cabinet immediately below said headers sincethe headers are the coldest portions of the refrigerating means. In thismanner is provided a refrigerating means which will permit foodstuffs tobe so disposed in a display counter as to subjectcertain substances toone degree of temperature and other substances to another de ree oftemperature.

The refrigerating e ement may be mounted within the display compartmentby being suspended from the inside top thereof as shown in Figs. 4 and5. A. strap 39' or the like may be passed around each header body andbolted to the ceiling of the counter, while similar strap hangers 41 maybe used for supporting a drip pan and bafiie plate or deflector 42 uponwhich the finned body of the element outside of the header may beplaced. The deflector late or bafiie which may serve as a drip pan orpreventing the moisture due to defrosting of the element from falling onthe displayed foodstufis may have one of its sides, e. g. that facingthe customers, extend upwardly to a substantial extent, partly to form adeflecting means for the circulating air and partly to hide the lowerportion of the refrigerating elements from view, the upper parts beingsubstantially-hidden by the upper portion of the glazed front.

The circulation of air in the interior of the display case issubstantially that shown by the arrows in Fig. 5 the cold air descendingfrom the rear of the top of the display counter, passing over thefoodstuffs and thence upwardly up along the front wall back to therefrigerating element.

The refrigerating elements are connected with a suiiable compressorunit, not shown, by means of pipes 43, 44 connected to the inlet 11 andoutlet 12 respectively of the respective headers of the elements.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed,constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims whichfollow.

What-is claimed is as follows:

1. Refrigerating means for mechanically refrigerated cabinets comprisinga header, a plurality of ducts connected wit said header for circulatingrefrigerating medium, said ducts extending horizontally a substantialdistance beyond the header and being provided with fins in good thermalcontact with said ducts. said fins extending longitudinallysubstantially beyond the extremities of said ducts.

2. Refrigerating means for mechanically refrigerated cabinets comprisinga header, a plurality of ducts connected with the header for circulatingrefrigerating medium, per tions of said ducts being connected to onewall of said header and other portions being connected to a lateral wallof said header, fins attached to said ducts in good thermal contact tosaid ducts, said fins extendin substantially beyond the extremities 0said ducts.

3. Refrigerating means for elongated mechanically refrigerated cabinetsfor stores or the like com rising header means adapted to contain liquidrefrigerant and extending longitudinally of the cabinet, means forpreventing the refrigerant from rising above a certain level in saidheader means, a plurality of ducts connected with the opposite walls ofthe header means and extending longitudinally of the cabinet in oppositedirections for circulating the liquid refrigerant substantiallythroughout the length of the cabinet.

4. An evaporator disposed in the path of air for directly cooling theair, said evaporator comprising a finned section forming the greaterpart of the length of the evaporator and the greater part of themetallic heat absorbing surface of the evaporator, said finned sectionincluding a plurality of vertically extending fins anda compact group oflong slender and horizontally disposed refrigerant conveying tubesintimately connected with the fins, certain of said tubes being disposedat higher planes than others and certain being arranged to the side ofothers, and a cylindrical header containing a quantity of volatileliquid refrigerant, certain of said tubes being connected with an endwall of the header and certain of said tubes being connected with thecylindrical wall of the header.

5. An evaporator disposed in the path of air for directly cooling theair, said evaporator comprising a finned section forming the greaterpart of the length of the evaporator and the greater part of themetallic heat absorbing surface of the evaporator. said finned sectionincluding a plurality of vertically extending fins and a compact groupof long slender and horizontally disposed refrigerant conveying tubesarranged in the form of loops and having the horizontal portions of theloops in intimate contact with the fins, certain of said tubes beingdisposed at is higher planes than others and certain being arranged tothe side of others, and a cylindrical header containing a quantity ofvolatile liquid refrigerant, the ends of the loops being connected withan end and a cylindrical .1.

wall of the header respectively.

6. An evaporator disposed in the ath o for directly cooling the air,said evap rator comprising a finned section forming greater part of thelength oi the evapc. and the greater part of the metallic heat sorbingsurface of the evaporat 1 section including a plurality ct 1 tendingfins and a compact group slender and horizontally disposed conveyingtubes intimately connected with the fins, certain of said tubes beingdisposed at higher planes than others and certain being arranged to theside of others, and a cylindrical' header containing a quantity ofvolatile liquid refrigerant, said tubes being connected to form at leastone circuit for refrigerant having-the ends thereof connected with anend wall and a cylindrical wall of the header.

' In testimony whereof I hereto aifix my signature.

JESSE G. KING.

